Jamboni (West Bengal), Jun 26: Amid growing clamour over rise in crime against women in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked women at a Panchayat election rally whether they were afraid of stepping out on the streets.

"Are my sisters and mothers afraid of walking or coming out on the roads?" the Chief Minister asked at a Panchayat election campaign rally in this Jungle Mahal town.

"Does it mean these incidents are taking place everywhere? Are all men bad? Mind it, the population is on the rise," she said admitting that "one or two unfortunate incidents" had taken place.

Continuing the attack on some local TV channels and their talk show panelists, the Chief Minister alleged "some well-dressed people are spreading lies in the name of talk shows. They are paid money for it."

"Some TV channels are being nourished with CPI(M) funding. Some channels are panels of CPI(M)," Banerjee alleged.

Noting that this was the age of Internet, she cautioned that some were misusing it.